Information and Updates on Getting the Most out of the UGL

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Have you ever wondered what a librarian’s job looks like? Or what exactly the staff members, faculty, and graduate assistants do at the Undergraduate Library during the day? Here’s your chance to find out! Meet Angeline, a graduate assistant at the UGL.

Q: So, Angeline, what do you do here?
A: Well, I’m a graduate assistant, so I get to do a lot of different things! Most often, I work at the research desk on the upper level of the UGL, and I also answer your questions through the Ask A Librarian chat. I teach library instruction classes for CMN 101/111, Rhet 105, and ESL 115 classes, so you may have had me as your instructor in one of those sessions. I’m here early to open the UGL on Saturday mornings, so if you really want to make my day, feel free to bring me tea! One of the projects I get to work on that I’m really excited about is digitizing video games.

Q: That sounds awesome. What’s your favorite part about your job?
A: Definitely the people I work with. Between having a lot of classes together and working together, all the graduate assistants here are pretty close. I really like how we all support each other, both in this job and as we have started looking for full-time employment after graduation.

Q: What’s your favorite part of the UGL?
A: Hmmm…the staff area! If you haven’t been back there–and, of course you haven’t, you’re probably not staff–it’s like Narnia. I mean, literally, I have to wear a jacket because it’s so cold.

Q: Besides working at the UGL, what do you do for fun?
A: I enjoy reading comics, mostly from the UGL because we have a really great collection. I’m a big Captain America fan, so I requested the comics we don’t have here from other libraries through I-Share so I could read them ALL.

Q: Nice! Now, let’s talk about something really important. Where is your favorite place to eat in town?
A: Black Dog! I love me some BBQ.

Q: Yum. What’s your favorite part of working with students?
A: Helping students find the information they need. There’s nothing better than having a student ask you for help, then being able to work with them to find what they’re looking for. It makes me feel like a superhero…but with less explosions. Although I did have to call an ambulance once.

Q: What do you wish students knew about the UGL?
A: That so many people who work at the UGL are here to answer your questions and help you with whatever you might need. So, come visit me on the research desk, I’d love to help!

While this quote may be attributed to the prolific Taylor Swift, it’s actually pretty true–and the Undergraduate Library is no exception. Classes just started, but if you’ve already made your way to the UGL (or if you’re planning on doing it soon–which you totally should!), you may notice that a few things are a little different.

For starters, our Research Desk has moved! Now, it’s directly in front of you as you walk in on the upper level (just next to the printers). The librarians and graduate assistants who staff it are no longer sitting behind a tall desk with a bulky computer–instead, we’ve got a mobile iPad so we can better help out anywhere in the library. However, our knowledge and services are still the same–so please stop by with any questions you have about using the library, finding a book, doing research for a homework assignment or how to get to Room 66 (or anything else you can think of).

Our Circulation & Reserves Desk is in the same place, and our wonderful staff and student assistants are also here to help you check out books and movies, find course reserves and use our loanable technology items (among many, many other things). They can also help you activate your I-Card if you are a new student or have a new card this year.

We also updated our printing procedures last spring, so here’s a refresher on how to print in the UGL (we’ve got black & white and color, and you can pay cash or charge it to your student account).

We’re pretty stoked about the new look and the new year, and we hope you are, too! If you’ve got any suggestions, let us know here or in the comments!

It’s practically summer! Hopefully you’re preparing to do something fun/amazing, whether it’s finishing gen-eds with some summer classes, doing an internship in your major, traveling around the world, heading home to earn some moola, or something else we haven’t thought of (do tell!).

The UGL will not be doing any of the aforementioned things this summer, since it’s a building, but if you’re staying around campus (or even if you’re off campus and need research assistance) the UGL will be here for you. During the dog days of summer, you can basically do everything you normally do at the UGL, just not for as many hours each day. Here are some ideas:

Sadly, research papers do not disappear during summer classes. Never fear! You can also still get plenty of research assistance in person at the research desk and online via chat Mon-Thurs 11-6 and Fri 11-5. On the weekends, you can get research help at the circulation desk.

Here’s a look at our summertime schedule, which begins on Monday, May 14th:

Now that it’s almost finals week, the UGL is once again keeping its (admittedly very heavy) doors open all the time. So! No need to worry if you need a quiet place to pull an all-nighter (or a bustling place to keep you from snoozing when you should be studying)… we’ll be here.

Here’s the deal: From now until Friday, May 11th at 7PM, the UGL is ALWAYS OPEN.

And in honor of all the hard work you’re doing, we’d like to share some sweet tips on how to make the most of your library experience during these trying times…

Do you need a collaboration room for a group project? No problem! Just remember that they tend to book up pretty quickly during finals week, so you’re best bet is to reserve one in advance. Just call (or visit) the UGL circulation desk @ 333-3477 to make your reservation.

The lower level of the UGL is the quiet floor. Especially during finals, people take the quiet mandate pretty seriously. To avoid scowls, scorn, and potential scandal, keep the talking to the upper level only. Seriously… it’s for your own good!

All-nighters are basically not doable without coffee and snacks. That’s why the Espresso Royale location at the UGL will also be keeping it’s doors open 24/7 until Friday May 11th. (OK… they’ll actually be closing each night for one hour from 12AM-1AM, and closed during the night on Saturday and Sunday). Remember! Drinks (with lids) are OK in the library, but if you need to eat, please do so in the cafe area in front of Espresso.

You’re probably going to be clocking in some serious hours at the UGL, and you’re definitely going to need a break or two. Don’t leave your stuff unattended! Remember, you can always check out a laptop lock at the circulation desk to ensure you’re computer is safe while you take a stroll or grab a bite to eat.

Attention! Attention! The UGL hours and services are a little different over spring break! Because some of us will be relaxing just like you. And some of us will still be working but there will be fewer of you around to keep us busy.

The UGL will NOT be open 24 hours starting on Thursday, March 15 and ending on Sunday, March 25. We will close on Friday, March 16 at 7pm, and will remain closed until Monday, March 19 at 8:30 a.m.

Our limited hours are:

Saturday, March 17 and Sunday, March 18: CLOSED

Monday-Friday, March 19-23: 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Saturday, March 24: CLOSED

Sunday, March 25: We reopen at 1:00 p.m. and remain open normal hours after that!

During the limited hours, the research desk will not be open. The friendly staff at the circulation desk will be around, of course, to help you.

What does this mean for you? It means that if you need in-depth research assistance, you will have to wait until after spring break (or hurry up and come in on Friday!). It also means no more late nights in the UGL for at least a week.

What does this NOT mean for you? It does not mean that you can’t come to the UGL! We’re still here, so please feel free to join us if you’re sticking around Champaign-Urbana over break. It also doesn’t mean that you can’t check out media items like DVDs! If you check something out before you leave and it’s due while you’re gone, you can renew it online through your account or call the library at 217-333-2477 to renew it.

As always, you can access the library’s online resources any time, anywhere (as long as you are connected to the interwebs!).

It’s getting to be midterms time, which means you’re probably feeling pretty busy these days. Maybe you’re working on a research paper, but you still haven’t found enough sources to support your thesis. Or maybe you’re searching for articles in one of the library’s databases, but your searches are coming up short. Regardless of your research problem, we can help. While you can always talk to a librarian at the UGL’s research desk or online via Ask a Librarian, if you think you need a more in-depth research consultation, visit us at Office Hours!

Office Hours is a drop-in service created with the busy student in mind. At each Office Hours session, you will have the opportunity to get one-on-one research help from one of the UGL’s expert researchers (librarians and graduate assistants). And, during Office Hours at the UGL on Mondays, you can also meet with someone from the Writer’s Workshop to get quick answers to writing questions.

So, drop on by to get help developing a research topic, finding credible information, creating a bibliography, or solving any research/writing problems you might have.

Ever wondered what we do at the UGL? I mean, you walk past some people at the desks at the front who seem to be up to something, but what is it? Well, this week we want to tell you a bit about what we do at the research desk. (Stay tuned for the upcoming post: The Circulation Desk: Where the Magic Happens!)

Presenting: the who, what, when, where and why (but not in that order) of the research desk!

WHERE is the research desk?

We’re on the upper level (i.e. main floor, where the Espresso Royale is, with the sandwiches and the coffee) of the UGL, on your right as you enter the doors.

WHO works at the research desk?

The research desk is staffed by librarians and graduate assistants, aka GAs .The librarians are these awesome humans who have a huge wealth of knowledge and are more than willing to share it. The graduate assistants are a lot like the librarians, but usually younger, and they (we, actually, the writers of this blog are GAs) are in school here at UIUC getting their masters degrees in library and information science.

Okay, they sound cool enough, but WHAT do these people really do, though?

The librarians and GAs at the research desk are here to answer your every question about the library. We have skills and we love to use them to help you. Looking for a fun movie to watch this weekend? Ask at the research desk and we will show you how to look it up in the catalog, and how to understand what you see there so you can get your movie easily and quickly, and be on your way to a wonderful weekend. On the other end of the library spectrum, we also assist you with research. Need to find scholarly articles on the effects of video game violence on children? We will help you figure out where to look to find that information, how to search for it, and how to understand which sources are best for you. Basically, we want you to have mad skills.

WHY would you want that?

Well, it’s a wild, wild world out there, and we want you to be successful in navigating it. Basically, we know how hard it can be to find information when faced with all that the library offers. You may not even know what the library has (sometimes, we don’t either, but that’s part of the thrill of the chase). We want you to be able to use all the great resources that UIUC offers for you. These resources are for YOU and to USE, and we are here to help you do so. Cool, huh?

Yeah! That does sound kind of awesome, now that you put it that way. WHEN can I start using the research desk?

When you have a question! Ask us! But we’re not always here, even though we like to give that illusion. The UGL’s research desk is open from 11-9pm Monday through Friday, and Sunday. On Saturdays, everyone’s favorite day for coming to the library, there is a GA hanging out at the circulation desk (see next week’s post for more info) who can not only check out a laptop to you, but can also do all the cool research help stuff at the same time. You can also chat with a librarian via instant message, if that suits your needs better. That service is staffed by librarians and GAs from all over the UIUC library system (there are over 20 libraries on campus!).

So, there you have it, the long and short of the research desk. Next time you fly past us on your way to a serious study session, armed with your large iced no whip mocha with an extra shot, glance over and smile knowingly. You’ve got this.